Post/Author/DateTime	Post
PunkRockBard 04-27-07, 08:41 AM	Hello all.... OK...i am about to ask a question..it has likely been asked here before....and i should probably know better! What is the difference between Aspects, Envoys, and Avatars? From what i understand...avatars are deities or powerful entities manifested in the Prime for specific purposes. Are aspects portions of the deities/beings themselves....or a separate being created by the being that mimics that deities persona etc? Same goes with envoys..... i have been involved in roleplaying for years....and have a strong sense of what these are without really "knowing". So i am coming out of the planar key closet! What exactly are these buggers?
Runepriest 04-27-07, 10:16 AM	I would like to know also.
Cato_the_Elder 04-27-07, 11:37 AM	Aspects are manifestations of a particular part of a deity / outsider lord; these aspects are typically much reduced in power from their true form. As I understand them, aspects show only part of an entity's portfolio or nature, not the whole thing. You are correct that avatars are (more mortal) forms of these entities typically formed for a specific purpose. Envoys are just servants of these entities that give messages for their patron, just like real envoys. All these descriptions are to the best of my memory; correct me if I'm wrong.
Bluehero 04-27-07, 06:41 PM	In game stat terms avatars are created by the avatar SDA and have the same stats as the creator deity but with up to half as many divine ranks. Aspects are usually around CR 10-15 and cover only one thing that the deity is good at. Envoys are just people, usually outsiders that the deity sends around to do stuff for him.
Old Sparky 04-27-07, 10:35 PM	Technically, an avatar or an aspect could be an envoy. Are there any specific rules for creating aspects?
primemover003 04-27-07, 10:50 PM	Aspects & Envoys are the same thing. In Expedition to the Demonweb Pits Lolth manifests 2 "Apsects" her Envoy and her Hammer, both are a piece of her being but focused on certain tasks... the Hammer is a brute, the Envoy is a diplomat. Both are technically "Aspects" as in the miniatures Handbook definition. An Avatar is a lesser form of a deity, but unlike an Aspect it has a Divine Rank.
Old Sparky 04-28-07, 02:09 AM	As I said, an aspect or avatar COULD be considered an envoy... however, as mentioned above, an envoy can also be just an servant --typically an Outsider, but not a necessity. A simple human cleric or paladin could be an enoy... or a pit fiend or planetar... or an axiomatic dragon if appropriate to the diety. Envoy is a description that can apply to a wide variety of critters. Avatars and aspects are distinct menifestations of the diety/archfiend in question.
sciborg2 04-28-07, 02:23 AM	Personally I miss the days when avatars had no divine rank. I can't even say for sure why, but I liked the idea of a god putting itself in the shoes of a mortal, in some sense...